Firefighters are finally making progress on a three-week-old wildfire in Pender County.
Officials said Thursday the fire is 68 percent contained after a controlled burn conducted by the North Carolina Forest Service.
The burn out was intended to eliminate combustible materials on the south side of the Holly Shelter Game Land and keep the fire from spreading into more populated areas along U.S. Highway 17.
Forestry officials say helicopters equipped with infrared cameras are being used to identify spots still burning within the 47-square-mile area.
The fire in Pender County is one of four large fires in eastern North Carolina. Officials say there are more than 2,000 homes in the area.
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